


Thanksgiving at the Pelton's

by Mr_Motley



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28083999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mr_Motley/pseuds/Mr_Motley
Summary: Jeff invites himself to pretend to be Craigs boyfriend
Relationships: Dean Craig Pelton/Jeff Winger
Comments: 4
Kudos: 52





	Thanksgiving at the Pelton's

Jeff sat in his office, peacefully swirling a freshly poured glass of scotch. He took a minute to breathe it in; enjoy the hundred dollar bottle he had treated himself to. He had just finished teaching the last class he'd have until after thanksgiving, and honestly, it was the small victories that mattered.

"Jeff thank god." Frankie says in a panic as she bursts into his office. Jeff almost spills his glass.

"Frankie?" Jeff asked back, cautiously taking his feet off his desk and setting down his glass.

"Can you try to talk to Craig? He'll listen to you." Frankie nearly pleaded, all without breaking composure, of course.

"What insane thing is he trying now?" Jeff huffed, finishing his drink before following Frankie out.

"Oh, it's nothing like that, thank god. He's just locked himself in his office; I tried letting him work it out himself, but he's been in there all day." She explained. Jeff frowned, but kept following anyways. The two stand outside the door for a minute, before Frankie gestures at Jeff quietly. Jeff sighs, and knocks.

"Craig? It's Jeff." He waited for a minute before he heard some sniffling, and the door was opening. Craig looked like shit. He had clearly been crying. Craig wipes at his eyes, as though reading Jeff's mind.  
"I got this, Frankie." Jeff told her, although even as he was saying it he wasn't sure why.

"Ok, well I have my phone, if anyone needs me." Frankie replies cautiously, before giving them their privacy. Jeff looked back over to Craig, who was looking smaller than ever, and not in a hot way.

"You want to tell me what's wrong?" Jeff asks, moving past Craig and straight to the couch. Craig sighs, and closes the door before sitting next to him.

"My parents are coming to town to visit my brother and his wife for thanksgiving." Craig managed to get out, a few more stray tears slipping out. 

"And?" Jeff asks after a minute. 

"And my mother sent me a text, making sure that I know that I'm not invited." Craig explained, somehow a bit more calmly.

"Oh." Jeff replies, and really, he couldn't think of anything better.  
"Can I see the message?" Jeff asks. Maybe if he saw it, he'd find the right thing to say. Craig shrugs a little, before digging out his phone, and pulling up the text chain.

"Dear Craig, I'm sure you've heard by now that your father and I will be visiting Steven for the holidays. Due to your life style choices, I'm sure you understand why you aren't welcome." Jeff muttered along to the message, never fully reading it aloud.

"So they're homophobic." Jeff almost scoffed, a flare of real anger behind it.

"Well. I suppose." Craig shrugs weakly.

"What does that mean?" Jeff asks, handing back the phone.

"Well they've always kind of been like this. They use to hire a nanny to watch me so they could go on family vacations." Craig laughed nervously.

"First off, that's horrible, but second, your family hired nannys?" Jeff found himself relying on the mix of comfort and attempted humor. But Craig just shrugs again.

"Craig," Jeff sighed.  
"It sounds to me that your far better off without them." Jeff offers sincerely.

"Yeah. It's just, they're my family. I want to help my mom cook, and listen to my dad and brother argue, and eat family recipes, and even if they just make fun of me the whole time, it's thanksgiving." Craig almost starts crying again, but manages to save it as he waves his face a bit.

"You ever think of just showing up anyways?" Jeff asks softly. Craig laughs a little.

"It would be bad enough if I was invited, I can't even imagine that."

"What if-and please don't make me regret this-what if I went with you?" Jeff asks, and Craig looks up at him with wide and startled eyes.

"You would-no, no. We can't do that." 

"Come on, I'm offering." Jeff shrugs.

"No, I mean, if I bring someone named Jeffery over, they're-they're going to assume; and when they find out! I mean I write letters to my mom, and, we'll," Craig started stuttering a bit.

"You told your mom about me?" Jeff asks, genuinely unsure of how to take that.

"Yes, which is where the whole 'lifestyle' part comes in. I've never come out to them, or anything like that." Craig half explains.

"What exactly did you tell her about me?" Jeff asks cautiously.

"Well, I admit, the letters may have been overly optimistic, to an extent-"

"Craig." Jeff sighs.

"I-I told her I was seeing you; that we were involved." Craig can't meet Jeff's eyes, too embarrassed and terrified. It's quiet for a long moment, as Jeff thinks it through.

"So." Jeff finally starts.  
"You're saying when we go to this dinner I'm going to have to pretend to be your boyfriend." Jeff chews through the idea for minute, before realizing that Craig was staring.

"You-you'd actually do that for me?" Craig asks, soft and vulnerable. Jeff feels a blush creeping in.

"Sure. We're friends, right?" Jeff manages to reply casually.

\-----------------

"I brought a bottle of wine." Jeff starts as Craig opens his door.   
"Is that what you're wearing?" Jeff frowned, unimpressed.

"Yes? Why?" Craig replies unsure. He was in just another button up.

"I mean I figured you'd dress more; you know. Not a dress, but I know you have nicer shirts than that." Jeff explains, a calculating look on his face. Craig meets the expression with his own confusion.  
"What about the blue one, the one you wore for our day at the mall, however many years ago." Jeff suggests.

"I, uhm, I think I could find that somewhere." Craig replies shyly. Jeff waits in Craig's living room, sighing as he took a seat. He wasn't sure what to expect from all this, but he was definitely on board for helping Craig shove it in some homophobes faces. That's what friends were for, right?

"Ok, how's this?" Craig asks, smoothing the shirt down.

"Much better." Jeff nods, and starts to lead the way out.

"So, let's talk ground rules." Jeff starts as he drives them.

"Ok?"

"No kissing on the mouth." Jeff tells him, Craig lets out a surprised laugh.

"Just the mouth?" He asks, almost teasing. 

"Specifically, yes. Next rule, no inviting any of them back to our building. I doubt that will be an issue, but I figure it's worth stating. If I'm pretending to be your boyfriend it's going to be for your family's party only." Jeff explains. 

"Of course." Craig nods.

"Third rule: if I say we're leaving, we're leaving. Ok?" Jeff asks firmly as he parks, and the two get out of the car.

"Of course." Craig replies again, a soft smile beginning to show.  
"So go back to where it is ok to kiss you?" Craig asks shyly. Jeff tenses a little.

"I don't know. Hands? Cheek? Whatever's convenient, I guess. Normal couple stuff." Jeff replied awkwardly.

"Oh. Sure ok. Can we hold hands?" Craig asks. Jeff smiles mischievously, walking over to hold one hand around Craig's waist, the other holding the bottle of wine.

"How's this?"

"Even better." The two walk up the walkway leading the house. It was a typical suburban family house, clearly mid-upper class.   
"Oh god, this is a terrible idea." Craig nearly squeaks as they stand at the door. Jeff rolls his eyes, before ringing the door bell. 

"Can I help-" a stout woman asks as she answers the door, stopping as her attention moves from Jeff to Craig.  
"Craig. What are you doing here." She frowns. Craig kind of flounders for a minute, so Jeff steps up.

"You must be mrs Pelton, I'm Jeff Winger, Craig's boyfriend." Jeff introduces, holding his hand out. The woman hesitantly shakes his hand, looking him over with a frown.  
"May we come in?" He asks. She hesitates, before opening the door for them.

"Who's at the door honey?" Jeff heard a man call from the other room.

"Craig and... Jeffery." She says, and Jeff can hear the judgement in her tone. 

"Jeffery brought wine." Craig announces nervously. Jeff holds out the bottle, and Mrs Pelton takes it, frown never leaving.

"Craig why don't you help me and Kristy in the kitchen while Jeffery goes to sit with the boys." Craig's mom half asks, leading Craig away. Craig gave Jeff a shy smile before following. Jeff took a steadying breath, waking into the living room tensely. Two large men sat on the couch, looking at him like he was an alien.

"Jeffery, right?" The older one asks.

"Right. You must be Mr Pelton." Jeff smiles and holds out his hand. The man scoffs, and just gestures Jeff to one of the arm chairs.

"Look, whatever he's paying you, I'll double it if you leave right now." Me Pelton says seriously.

"What?" Jeff asked in disbelief.

"I'll triple it if you throw water in his face first." The brother, Steven adds.

"I don't know what you think is going on here, but that's my boyfriend your talking about." Jeff growls back. Both men roll their eyes.

"You can drop the act, 'Jeffery'. We already know Craig made up his boyfriend. Besides, Craig's life style has always been obvious, but you're no fairy." Craig's dad huffs, and Jeff straight sees red.

\----------

"I just can't believe that stupid 'school' is still standing." Craig's sister-in-law laughs.

"Well Craig has always been very fragile, so clearly God is protecting him." Craig's mom tries to add helpfully. Craig stays quiet as he cuts the spinach, just trying to enjoy the thanksgiving environment. All three jump as there's a crash from the other room.

"Because you don't even know him! You're just a sad bitter old man with an equally horrible family, except for Craig, who is The Most Loving person you'll ever meet, and you can't even see it! I am lucky to have Craig in my life, and I can't even find the words for how much I pity you for missing out on being there for him!" Jeff yells.

"Jeffery!" Craig nearly gasps, as they rush into the room. Jeff looks up startled, before pacing over to Craig, and lifting him in his arms. Craig blushes, his legs on Jeff's hips, his arms over Jeff's shoulders.

"I love you Craig, but your family is insane." Jeff tells him, kissing his lips sweetly. Craig short-circuits a little, nearly forgetting about his family in the room.  
"We're leaving. Hopefully your family will get their shit together enough to gain some manners by Christmas." Jeff growls, straight carrying Craig out.   
"Enjoy the wine." He says bitterly.   
He sets Craig down once their outside, closing the door behind them. He takes a breath before taking Craig's hand and leading them to the car. They're quiet until Jeff starts driving.  
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to dinner." Jeff huffs.

"Jeffery; that was incredible." Craig praises. Jeff blushes a little, glancing at Craig just briefly.  
"You stood up for me." Craig adds softly.

"Well I stand by my original statement; you're far better off without them." Jeff explains.  
"Still. I think I owe you a dinner." He frowns.

**Author's Note:**

> Did. Did Jeff forget that they're pretending? Anyways, he basically invited himself to Christmas so maybe there'll be another chapter lol


End file.
